Champian of House Cadash
by 25th Doctor
Summary: This is the story of the last warrior of House Cadash, who goes from being a warrior caste mystery to the Head of the reborn Inquisition. Idea inspired by chaosangels4us story inquisition.
1. Chapter 1

**Champion of House Cadash **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except any characters I create myself. Dragon age is owned by Bioware.**

**Mahkel of House Cadash was his name. He was one of the last of his line, with only his father, sister, and himself remaining as blood descendants of the Warrior house Cadash. They were well known in Orzammar as a house in desperate need of help, but with enough pride to not accept Charity. They weren't nobles, but they had a good bit of wealth. No one could really predict what the remnants of House Cadash would do next, or what fate the Ancestors had in store for them.**

**Mahkel didn't worry all that greatly, believing that his smarts and his sword could prevent any threat from doing any more damage to his loved ones. He sat on a bench in the commons, waiting to decide what to do next. He watched as the crowds walked by, many of them were now human since King Bhelen had increased trade with the surface. This did well for his mother's family, as they were Merchant Caste.**

**Thanks to his mother, his father had gained some wealth, and since he was warrior caste, Mahkel had little to worry about. Mahkel was warrior caste, something that seemed perfect for him, as he seemed to have a natural talent for fighting and strategy. His sister on the other hand was merchant caste. Her name was Anika, after the wife of Paragon Aeducan. Mahkel asked why they named her after the wife of another house, let alone a former warrior caste house. His parents had said that they hoped it would bring her good fortune.**

**He was snapped out of his thoughts by the arrival of his friend and comrade-in-arms Frandlin Ivo, who was soon to be, head of house Ivo. Mahkel stood to greet the approaching warrior. "Frandlin, it's good to see you my friend!" Frandlin saw his friend and smiled. He waded through the crowd and grabbed his friends arm in greeting. "It's good to see you as well Mahkel!" Mahkel sat back down on the bench, Frandlin sat beside him. Frandlin looked over his friend, from his beard that reached his chest, his brown hair that was kept short and standing, and his matching brown eyes, which looked tired, but excited. **

**Mahkel decided to ask the question he had been wondering at. "Is it true that you've been interested in that girl Orta?" Frandlin blushed slightly, before nodding. **

"**Ever since the wardens came through here and proved she was of house Ortan, my house has been trying to get into her good graces. I will admit that she is pretty, but I doubt she's interested in some nobody warrior caste like me!" Mahkel immediately started laughing, "What's so funny?" Mahkel stopped laughing long enough to answer him.**

"**I'm laughing because you're so blind. I saw how she looked at you last time we went into the deep roads. She was wearing a beautiful dress and was looking worried that you wouldn't come back to her!" Mahkel's laughter subsided mostly after that. Frandlin looked interested in that bit of news. **

"**You really think so Mahkel?" The young dwarf put a hand on his friend's shoulder, **

"**Of course I do! Do you really think I would still be alive if I couldn't read into people a little? She's interested, all you have to do is sweep her into your arms and she will not be able to resist you!" Frandlin looked comforted by his friend's words and thanked him. "No problem, what else are friends for, besides helping you find love and saving your rear from a nest of Deepstalker!"**

"**Hey to be fair, you would never have rescued me if hadn't killed that Genlock that tried to gut you!" **

"**I'll give you that point my friend, so now I'm only one up on you!" The two friends laughed before they decided to move towards their homes to prepare for an expedition into the deep roads the next morning. **

**Mahkel awoke after falling out of his bed. He sat up and yawned, and glanced at the large time piece that was within easy view of his bedchamber window. He quickly realized he'd be late for the expedition if he didn't hurry. He quickly threw on the clothes he wore under his armor, and began to run down the set of stairs into the living area of the Cadash household. **

**His father was waiting, his son's armor on the stand next to him. "About time you woke up! How are you going to reclaim the glory of house Cadash if you can't even be on time for a routine trip into the deep roads?" Mahkel knew there was no right answer to his father's rhetorical question, and simply focused on getting his armor on. With his father's help, his armor was on in only two minutes.**

**His sister came out of the kitchen with food wrapped in cloth. "Here is your breakfast, it's still hot so be careful!" Mahkel thanked her by nodding his head. He walked over to the weapon's stand, and pulled out his family's ancestral sword and shield, placing them onto his back. His mother entered the room as he was preparing to leave. He looked to her, and removed his sword and shield from his back and embraced her. He did the same with his sister. He replaced his weapons onto his back, and turned to his father. The two warriors regarded each other, than clasped arms, a silent goodbye was exchanged between them. Mahkel then stepped out the door, and closed it again without a look back.**

**Mahkel arrived at the deep roads entrance where the soldiers were gathering. Thanks to another of the king's reforms, there was a number of casteless joining the ranks. Many of the warriors felt damage to their pride that they were expected to serve with beings they considered less than dirt. Mahkel was not among these, but held no opinion on the casteless in general, as he had only met a few of them. After meeting with Frandlin, he waited for the command to march by eating some of his food prepared by his sister. While he ate, he wondered what he would find in this trip to the deep roads, and what the Ancestors had in store for him **


	2. Chapter 2

**Champion of house Cadash **

**Ch2.**

**Mahkel was at the head of the forward unit, a force consisting of seventy men. Their mission was to scout ahead and work to remove any threats ahead of the main force. When they turned a corner however, what they found turned out to not be darkspawn, but a group of humans, all wearing armor decorated with a white eye surrounded by flames. **

**One of the humans turned around and saw the approaching dwarves. He quickly alerted the other men around him and they all drew their weapons. Mahkel and his men followed suit, all of them stood with weapons ready. Mahkel counted about a dozen of them, and smirked at the fact that the soldiers of Orzammar outnumbered the humans more than four to one. The one whom Mahkel assumed was the leader stepped forward. She wore no helmet, unlike her comrades, who were all masked by helms that covered their heads. **

**The woman spoke first, using an accent that Mahkel had to listen to very carefully to understand. "I'm Cassandra Pentaghast of the Seekers of Truth! Who is the leader of your unit?" **

**Mahkel stepped forward, his weapons were down, but ready to fight should the need arise. "I am the commander of this unit; I'm Mahkel of House Cadash! What is it you seek so far from the dwarven lines?"**

**Cassandra looked about to say something, when the ground began to shake below them. A strange green glow began appear from seemingly nowhere. Cassandra and her seekers all turned in the direction of the strange glow. And what they saw was what Mahkel assumed they were looking for. **

**A portal of some sort had appeared on the far wall down the hallway. It was colored a poisonous green, and seemed to have waves of energy that came from the center and stopped at the edges. After growing to an impressive size, shapes began to form from within. They were like nothing that Mahkel had ever seen before. Tall dark brown creatures possessing one glowing eye emerged; they seemed to grow out of the shadows on the ground. They charged in great numbers towards the group of humans and dwarves. "SHADES!" One of the Seekers shouted, drawing his sword, his comrades doing the same. Mahkel raised his own weapons and turned to his second in command. "Send the order down the line to draw weapons and prepare for battle, and it's not darkspawn, humans are allies!" **

"**Yes Commander" He rushed off to deliver the orders to the rest the men. Mahkel raised his shield and led the charge of his men into the tide of Shades that were trying to flank the Seekers. **

**Mahkel swung his sword into the chest region of the first shade to come within his reach. The creature lurched forward, which was all Mahkel needed to know he had dealt some damage. He slashed again, aiming at its face, but the creature was able to dodge. It retaliated with a swipe of its claws, which Mahkel blocked with his shield. He bashed the demon with his shield and followed up with another slash of his sword. The blade carved through the monsters flesh, and while it was bent over in pain, he stabbed it through the head. **

**The creature fell to floor and moved no more. Mahkel looked around him, and saw that the rest of his men were arriving, but so were more Shades. It seemed that his men took at least one Shades each for every one of them, but they were growing increasingly out numbered. He looked at the Seekers and saw that their numbers had nearly been halved. **

**He fought threw another Shade and now stood back to back with Cassandra. "Seeker! We need to fall back and regroup or we're all done for!" Cassandra grunted, slashed a shade across the chest. **

"**Do you have a place we can retreat to dwarf?"**

"**We passed a Thaig on the way here, if we can seal the door behind us, it should buy us some time!" Cassandra nodded, and signaled her men to fall back and follow her, with Mahkel calling for his men to do the same. With some difficulty, and some casualties, the force of human and dwarf fell back the way they had come. Mahkel noticed that the Shades could glide along the ground reasonably fast, but with some carful work, (And a well-placed trap or two) they soon gained a lead.**

**The doors of the Thaig were just ahead, but the Shades were finally closing in on them. Mahkel was bringing up the rear of the column of men, watching out for stragglers, and acting as rear guard. He saw the gates preparing to close, and quickened his pace. He could sense the presence of a Shade reaching out for him, and could see the gates closing. He made a final jump and rolled inside as the gate closed behind him. **

**He pushed himself up onto all fours, and looked at the massive door that was now their shield. One of the men of his unit offered him a hand, which he took. Standing up he looked about and saw that many of his men weren't present. After a quick look over, he had to assume that he had lost at least half of his men, and there were likely even more demons by now. He found his second in command and waved him over. "Tell the men to do as they please for the next two hours." He nodded and went to tell the men. **

**He walked over to where Cassandra was standing with her men. "Well Seeker, got any plans on how to kill those demons?" **


End file.
